SAPS denies that suspect has been arrested in N3 cop killings

The South African Police Services say that a report by News24 claiming that the police had arrested a suspect involved in last week Sunday’s Freeway cop killing in Modderfontein is not true.

In the report News 24 claims that a 31-year-old suspect was arrested after a carefully orchestrated raid in Kranskop, KwaZulu-Natal.

The report went on to say that the suspect has been linked to a business robbery and attempted murder in Sun City in 2009. He has also been linked to a separate case dating back to 2013 in which he was allegedly charged for being in possession of several firearms including an AK47.

Spokesperson for the SAPS Colonel Noxolo Kweza has come forward saying that these reports are untrue.

The shooting, which claimed the lives of two of the three police officers involved, occurred when police officers pulled over a vehicle near the Edenvale off-ramp in Johannesburg.

The occupants of the car proceeded to open fire at the officers. One officer was reportedly shot in the head and the other two in their legs. Two of the officers died while the third one was wounded.

Spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said, the suspects fled the scene in a Mercedes-Benz, which was found abandoned close to the crime scene. She went on to say that they then hijacked another vehicle.

After the event a large portion of the N3 south highway in Modderfontein was closed off completely, as it was a crime scene, for the rest of the day.

Police released a statement after the killings, offering a reward of up to R400 000 for information that could lead to the arrest of a group of people involved.

One suspect was arrested on the scene and is currently in police custody after he was wounded during the incident.